Scheme for merging justice watchdogs dropped

Scheme for merging justice watchdogs droppedThe government has dropped plans to merge five watchdogs in the criminal justice system, including chief inspector of prisons, after the measure was comprehensively defeated in the Lords. The former chief inspector Lord Ramsbotham last week led an all-party rebellion against the plan to combine the inspectorates of prisons, probation, police, Crown Prosecution Service and court administration.Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 19 October 2006, page 6

Asylum for teenage girl who faced mutilation in AfricaA teenage girl who feared that she would be forced to undergo genital mutilation as part of an initiation rite in Sierra Leone was granted asylum by the highest court in the land yesterday.Source:- The Times, Thursday 19 October 2006, page 28

Brighton heads drugs deaths tableFor the third consecutive year, more people died from drugs in Brighton than anywhere else in Britain. The rate in Brighton and Hove was 24.2 per 100,000 adults. Dumbarton was the second worse area.Source:- Daily Telegraph, Thursday 19 October 2006, page 6

Suicide risk is trebled for women with breast implantsWomen who have breast implants are up to three times more likely to commit suicide than those who do not, say researchers.Source:- Daily Telegraph, Thursday 19 October 2006, page 8

British Association of Adoption and Fostering chief executive David Holmes on Madonna debateWhy go abroad when 4,000 UK children are desperate for a family?Source:- The Sun, Thursday 19 October 2006, page 8

Independent inquiry into NHS spendingThe architect of the government’s decision to increase NHS spending by £40bn will today cause anxiety across Whitehall by launching an independent inquiry into how well the money was spent.Sir Derek Wanless, the former NatWest chief executive who provided Gordon Brown with the economic justification for NHS growth, has accepted an invitation from the King’s Fund to investigate whether the extra money produced sufficient improvement in the nation’s health.Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 19 October 2006, page 7

Hospitals prepare for advert warNHS hospitals are preparing to embark on an advertising war to attract more patients in response to the government’s decision to give people more choice about where they go for treatment.Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 19 October 2006, page 7

Scottish news

Third council in a row rejects housing transferTenants of a third Scottish council have rejected plans to transfer their homes to a new not-for-profit landlord.Renfrewshire, like Stirling and Edinburgh before it, rejected the transfer of its 14,300 council homes to a new landlord, which was intended to lead to a £1bn investment over 30 years. But 4250 tenants voted against transfer and 4124 in favour because of concerns over the scheme. Source:- The Herald, Thursday 19 October 2006

Pilot project to help addicts go ‘cold turkey’ as alternative to methadoneA ground breaking project to help drug users to go “cold turkey” is set to be launched in Scotland. The intensive community-based abstinence scheme will see an addict placed in supported accommodation for 12 weeks where they will be taken off methadone and offered psychiatric help, education and employment opportunities, exercise and other activities.. Source:- The Scotsman, Thursday 19 October 2006

Care home pervert is snared by Record Former social worker John Marshall has been remanded in custody pending sentence next month after admitting 14 charges of lewd and libidinous conduct against children at the High Court in Glasgow. Marshall abused children at Eversley children’s home in Pollokshields, Glasgow, and Downcraig care home, Castlemilk, Glasgow, in the 1970s. Police collected a dossier on the allegations from former residents but Taylor fled to Australia before they could arrest him.Detectives tracked him to Queensland where he was extradited from. He has been placed on the sex offenders register. Source:- The Record, Thursday 19 October 2006